Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-10
Wa shington Letter.
From Our Regular Correspondent 7

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Nov 8. 1887.
The year preceding the national conven-
tons, with all the attendant intrigues that go
before the Presidential nominations, the cam
paign and the quadrennial election of a Chief
Magistrate, will give>a zest and a spice to
social affairs in the coming season that will
render it notable when its history is one
among the records of past successes. The
long session of new Congress will be on
and that il will be leap year when the official
season opens are additional considerations in
its favor. The fact that private residences
here are quoted as high as 81 900 per month
establishes that these things are appreciated
outside and the high esteem in which the
city il held as place of winter resort. The
seasons will be officially launched, in all
probability, this year as usual by the Presl-
dents reception at the White House on New
Years Day. This event will occur on Mon
day, January 2, 1888, as the new year opens
on Sabbath. That will be the opening Of
the regular season The next ealendarial
item of interest Is that Ash Wednesday, the
beginning of Lent and the end of the gay
ffdsDB- tOLls1 VA fD- III " --'N~
House festivities include, at the least, three
state dinners---the Cabinet, diplomatic and
judges---the four evening reeeptions--liplo-
matte, Congressional. Army and Maryland
the public reception, and Mrs. Cleyeland's
weekly Saturday afternoons, and there are
but two days more than six weeks in which
to hold them all The solution of this prob
lem will be the joint task of the President
and Mrs. Cleveland, Col Lamont. and Col.
John NJ. Wilson. and whatsoever assistance
more they require will be forthcoming from
the State Department. Ii is believed Mrs.
Cleveland will not resume her Tuesday and
Thursday MONDAY levees that were last year
so agreeable a feature of the White House
courtesies.
The second International Fishery Com
mission is about ready TO begin ITS work,
which both nations hope will be final. They
are commencing the businesses with an out
ward ensemble that ia very imposing. Inc
first practical work was the engagement of
rooms for the Commissioners and their per-
sonal stats. The average citizen who hnds
one---or at the most two---eighteen by twenty
four apartments large enough for all his prac-
teal business needs, learned with amazement
that five commissioners require about forty
large rooms Thrty-eight of the best apart
ments at the Arlington hotel were engaged
almost a fortnight ago for the sole use OF
members of the commission. Nine of them
will be occupied by the two American MEN,
beers. Mr. Putnam and Mr.. Angel, while it
will take twenty-nine to hold the Right Hon.
Joseph Chamberlain president Board OF
Trade and Local Government Board in Mr..
Gladstone's second and third Cabinets and
his colleague, Sir Charles Upper. These
two gentlemen while here propose to be very
exclusive. They have even engaged private
dining-rooms, in order that the casual Amer
lean NAV not witness the manner in which
the representatives of Her Majesty, the
Queen, take their nourishment. They will
be accompanied by private secretaries, secre-
taries not private, clerks and servants enough
to fill all the apartments and to thus properly
maintain the dignity of ''Our Sovereign
Lord. the King" As Mr. Putnam and Mr..
Angel are simply two American gentlemen,
they do not object to taking their meals in
company with any number of their fellow
citizens whom Mr.. Roessle the proprietor,
will admit to the privileges of his hostelry.
We are getting some very interesting
information touching General Washing
ton nowadays, and from sources that are
beyond question in accuracy. Among other
things it seems that Gen. Washington's for
tune has always been greatly exaggerated.
The last ten years of his life his property
hardly maintained itself and did not increase
in value About the only crop that would
grow in and give abundant yield on the farm
ing lands of Mount Vernon was wheat or
rye. and for it there was no convenient market
why, remember" said gentleman the
other day, who had given much attention to
this particular feature of Gen. Washington
history, that fifty years ago it was reported
that Gen. Washington thought to have
left an estate of half million dollars.
made careful inquiry and have actually been
told that leaving out the land he was not worth
more than S25 900, and had he lived ten years
longer he would have been bankrupt, There
was nothing that he owned that was making
any money, except perhaps the ferry across
the Potomac, of which many curious anc
funny stories used to be told" There is yc
an opportunity for some one who knows to
write personal history of Gen. Washington
rs he was, that would be most interesting.